2010-S James Buchanan Presidential $1 Coin Proof : A Collector’s Guide

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes ….

The 2010-S James Buchanan Presidential Dollar Proof was struck at the San Francisco Mint and sold directly to collectors at a premium over its $1 face value. The corresponding circulating version was produced at the Philadelphia and Denver mints far over demand.

The Presidential Dollar Coin series, in its fourth year at the time the Pierce Dollar was struck, was authorized by the Presidential Dollar Coin Act (Public Law 109-145), which was passed into law on December 22, 2005. The author of the law, Representative Mike Castle (R-DE), envisioned a series that would replicate the success of the 50 State Quarters Program and do for the small golden dollar what the Sacagawea Dollar did not: capture the public imagination and see the dollar coin circulate freely.

A flaw in Castle’s reasoning is the that quarters already freely circulated, while dollar coins languished as the more versatile paper dollar flourished. Moreover, although the public might hold a broad curiosity about the distinctive features of the 50 states, the majority of Americans are unfamiliar with most U.S. presidents, and certain ones have left behind legacies that don’t merit commemoration in the 21st century. Following the debut of prominent presidents in 2007, a lineup of more obscure individuals ensued. The 2010 selections highlighted some of the most undeserving presidents in U.S. history, redeemed solely by featuring the 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. Fillmore and Pierce lacked Lincoln’s prestige, and Buchanan’s presidency widely held as one of the most incompetent and disastrous in American history.

How the 2010-S Buchanan Presidential Dollar Proof Was Sold

The United States Mint offered collectors the opportunity to purchase the 2010-S Buchanan Presidential Dollar Proof coin in three sets: the United States Mint Presidential $1 Coin Proof Set; the 2010 United States Mint Clad Proof Set; and the 2010 United States Mint Silver Proof Set.

The Presidential $1 Coin Proof Set was the cheapest option and first to market. Released on February 11, the set contained the four Proof Presidential Dollar coins for 2010. The Clad Proof Set was released on July 22, and the Silver Proof Set on August 26.

How Much Is the 2010-S Buchanan Presidential Dollar Proof Worth?

Collectors have four choices when it comes to collecting the 2010-S Buchanan Presidential Dollar:

1. Collectors can purchase the coin individually. In this case, the dollar coin would have been removed from a Proof Set and placed in an individual holder. Recent sales of 2010-S Buchanan Presidential Dollar Proofs were priced between $5 and $8.
2. Collectors can purchase the coin as part of one of the Mint’s 2010 Proof Set offerings, the cheapest one being the 2010 Presidential Dollar Proof Set, which contains an example of all four Presidential Dollars released in 2010 and retails for $10 ($2.50 per coin).
3. Collectors can purchase a certified example graded Proof 69 by CAC, NGC, or PCGS. Proof 69s are easy to come by and cost between $10 and $15.
4. Collectors can purchase a certified example graded Proof 70 by CAC, NGC, or PCGS. Recent sales data for these coins is enumerated in the section below.

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Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens

Roughly 1/3 of the number of Buchanan Proofs have been certified as compared to Lincoln Proof Dollars and Proof 70 Deep Cameo / Ultra Cameo coins make up roughly 13% of the total graded population.

Top Population: PCGS PR70DCAM (1,055, 9/2024), NGC PF70UCAM (2,736, 9/2024), and CAC PR70DCAM (2, 9/2024).

• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, September 7, 2025 – $26. 6 bids.
• NGC PF70UCAM: eBay, September 7, 2025 – $11.50. 7 bids.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, September 3, 2025 – $13.50. 8 bids.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, September 1, 2025 – $11.75. 8 bids.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, August 30, 2025 – $13.57. 9 bids.
• PCGS PR70DCAM: eBay, August 28, 2025 – $12. 5 bids.

Design

Obverse:

For the Buchanan Dollar, designer Phebe Hemphill adapted William E. McMaster’s 1856 portrait to bas relief. Hemphill’s initials appear on Buchanan’s collar. JAMES BUCHANAN wraps around the top of the design, while IN GOD WE TRUST, 15th PRESIDENT, and 1857-1861 wrap around the bottom of the design.

Common Reverse:

Don Everhart’s reverse design features an ant’s-eye view of the Statue of Liberty offset to the left. On the coin, Liberty occupies the bottom right quadrant of the coin, her extended elbow being the coin’s center point. The design is framed by a thin inner circle, which separates the graphic design from the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Beneath Liberty’s extended torch-bearing arm is the denomination $1. This is the common reverse design for all Presidential Dollar coins.

Edge:

The edge of the Presidential Dollar is lettered and features the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM, the mintmark, the year of issuance, and 13 five-pointed stars. This edge inscription may be oriented facing the obverse (Position A) or the reverse (Position B).

Coin Specifications

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